


A Body is a Temple

by BlueSpectre



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games)
Genre: Archer has a lot of self esteem issues, Body Worship, Crying During Sex, Erotic Electrostimulation, Fluff and Angst, Hand Jobs, M/M, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-08 05:23:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18888031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueSpectre/pseuds/BlueSpectre
Summary: "And a temple should be worshiped."Archer is a man who wears a mask, especially when it comes to his opinion of himself. Raiden is a man who can break that mask and dry the tears behind it.





	A Body is a Temple

**Author's Note:**

> I'm OC garbage and love Raiden and I have no excuses. This is the hill I will die on.

Johnny actually stumbled at how hard Archer had hit him, having to be still and catch his breath before shoving himself back at him. Sweat was beading at his and Archer’s forehead, soaked the chest of their shirts, and matted their hair in unattractive ways. The other man also looked angry, brows pinched together tight, lip threatening to curl into a snarl, and each hit was harder, more aggressive than the last. It’s been a month since he and Sonya’s team returned from a mission so top secret that they couldn’t tell Johnny about it, and as he remembered, Archer had come back in rough shape, only just having gotten back on his feet a few days ago. 

Three hours since he was okayed to spar and train again, and he was taking it to his advantage, it seemed. 

After a particularly rough hit to Johnny’s jaw, he finally called it. Archer said nothing in response, just walked over to grab a towel and wipe the sweat off of himself and chug half a bottle of water. The actor turned soldier just watched him for a moment, observing and noticing that he moved very stiff rather than his usual fluidness. 

Did that make sense? Johnny didn’t know, all he knew is that something was wrong and it ran deeper than being annoyed about how the mission turned out. 

He tried opening with humor, “Hey, what crawled up your ass lately?” 

Bad idea, all he got was an angry side glare. Yeesh, he’d been spending too much time with Sonya, their stink eye was almost identical. Still, he asked again, this time with a softer approach. 

“Arch, seriously, what’s wrong?” 

“Nothing.” The other man’s tone was very flat and short, back turned to Johnny now as he dug the pack of cigarettes out of his coat pocket. Johnny made a face akin to a kicked puppy, taking a risk of getting hit again by placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder. 

“Hey, talk to me. What’s up?”

Despite how soft his voice was, Archer harshly shrugged Johnny’s hand off of him, snatching his coat and making his way towards the exit of the bunker. No doubt he was off to Raiden’s temple for the week. 

“I said  _ nothing _ .” 

Johnny was left to stand by himself with a frown, an intense feeling of inadequacy weighing in his chest. He’d hoped he hadn’t done anything to make the guy mad, seeing as Archer’d been short with him all day and Johnny practically had to annoy him into agreeing to spar. Still, the ex-actor pulled out his phone and decided to send a warning to everyone’s favorite God of Thunder. 

* * *

The day was beautiful, the sun was settling comfortably against the horizon, splashing the sky above with colorful shades of orange and pink. A steady breeze drifted through and rustled the flowers of the cherry blossom above his head, petals cascading down gently onto his shoulders. A bird sat perched on one of the branches, singing a lovely song into the dusk and only lifting Raiden’s mood as he meditated. 

He took a deep breath to keep his calm and good mood steady, he closed his eyes and focused on the world around him, taking in the beauty and serenity of it all. He loved the temple at this time of year, peaceful and quiet with only the occasional bustling of the monks tending to the gardens. They never bothered him, they either waited until he was done or were so quiet he didn’t even realize they were there in the first place. He was grateful for them, working hard everyday to make sure he had something beautiful to admire and meditate in, a place where he could find peace and becoming when the stress of being Earthrealm’s sworn protector overwhelmed him. 

Now he felt calm, the heart in his chest beat steady, and a smile found its way onto his features. Days like this made all the stress worth it. 

Then a buzz in his robes shattered the wall of peace he had built for himself. Eyes snapped open and and that smile he had disappeared. He reached into the chest of his robes and pulled the source of the buzzing from inside the pocket, eyes now focused on the Earthrealm device called a ‘cellphone’ - that Archer insisted he have and keep on him - and squinted at the notification that appeared on the screen. Johnny Cage. Wonderful. 

_ “Hey, I don’t know what’s up with Archer today but he’s in a mood. Tried askin what’s wrong but he wouldn’t tell me.”  _

Raiden’s lips formed a fine line, sighing through his nose. He was made aware of the failed mission he and Sonya returned from recently and wondered if that attributed to his lover’s sour mood. He would learn of it soon enough. 

_ “Thank you for the warning, Johnny Cage. I shall ask him what troubles him.”  _

Cage responded with some ‘emoji’ - as Archer called them - in the form of a hand making a circle. Raiden didn’t understand the meaning of it, but he cared not for the explanation. The thunder god stood from the ground, placing the cell phone back into its place in his robes before dusting them off. He walked towards where Special Forces always dropped Archer off, hands folded neatly behind his back and eyes towards the sky. He should be showing up at any time now, a feeling of uncertainty swirling in the pit of Raiden’s stomach at the prospect of his lover’s low mood. 

Soon enough, he heard the roaring sound of an approaching helicopter, Raiden holding up a hand to ‘flag it down’ - as Archer referred to it as - and felt as the whirling blades violently unsettled the foliage around the god along with his robes. He watched as Archer jumped out of the side once it landed, adjusting the dufflebag slung over his shoulder as he refused a monk’s offer to take it for him, as he always did. Raiden greeted his lover with a smile, to which Archer offered a small broken one in return. 

It was worse than Cage let on. 

“Welcome home, my darling.” Raiden purred as he took the other man into his arms. Archer hugged him tighter than usual, longer too. It sent an ache through Raiden’s heart and caused him to frown. “Johnny Cage has informed me that you were not in a good mood.” 

Upon those words, Raiden felt his lover shake. Silent sobs drowned further out by the whirl of the helicopter taking off. He held Archer closer, stroking the back of his head as he hushed him and planted kisses to the top of his head. He shooed a cautious and worried monk away, waiting until the obnoxious vehicle was far enough away so that Archer could hear him whisper. 

“What happened, Archer?” he asked, near breaking at the way the other man shook more upon the initiative to speak. “Talk to me.” 

Archer didn’t speak, the only noise that sounded from him was a pathetic sob as he buried his face into the god’s chest. Raiden only let go for a moment to remove the bag from Archer’s shoulders before embracing him fully, only being able to hush and soothe him. One hand squeezed and massaged the back of the man’s neck while the other rubbed gently up and down his back. Archer’s own hands gripped Raiden’s robes so harsh his knuckles were turning white and the strength in his knees was starting to give. 

He felt like jelly, as if his bones had disintegrated and any strength left in him had gone with them. He wasn’t sure when he and Raiden ended up sitting on the ground, Archer near in the other man’s lap, or when the sun had gone down completely. His head was resting against Raiden’s shoulder now, gentle hands still soothing him as if he were an unruly child throwing a tantrum. The crying had stopped at least, despite the fact tears were still falling, and the shaking had numbed to an involuntary twitch every few seconds. 

Archer looked up and saw Raiden looking at him, those beautiful eyes full of worry and hurt. The very sight of it threatened to pull the man right back into his fit. 

“I’m sorry…” he whispered, voice hoarse. “Not really the type of reunion you were expecting, huh?”

“That isn’t what I am worried about, Archer.” Raiden’s voice was so calm and soft, so unlike the storms he often ruled over. The contrast always amazed Archer, how the god of storms and thunder, so often attributed to anger, could have such a homely face and soothing voice. How those eyes, bright blue and glowing with the lightning constantly coursing through him, could comfort and calm such a weary soul. 

Archer wiped his face with the sleeve of his sweatshirt, sniffling like a scolded child. “Can we go inside?” he asked, Raiden nodding in response. After a few more moments of pouting, Archer eventually slid himself out of Raiden’s hold and stood, bending to grab the strap of his bag. As he went to sling it over his shoulder, Raiden grabbed it from him and carried it himself as they walked up the stairs into the temple, monks bowing respectfully as they passed. Something Archer was never going to get used to. 

* * *

 

A wonderful smelling herbal tea was presented to him, that first sip warming his whole body and soothing his aching limbs. Raiden sat across from him with his own cup, keeping a close eye on the man in front of him. That gaze of worry hadn’t lessened since they came inside, but he was waiting for Archer to speak first to avoid pushing him into the subject. The younger man focused on the steam coming out of his tea, watching the way it almost danced into the air before disappearing from view. 

He wasn’t sure what to say, or even how to say it. He also didn’t know what exactly Johnny told him, considering how he himself wasn’t told a lot of details due to the mission being sensitive. Still, Archer couldn’t take the way Raiden was looking at him much longer, full of concern and dread and an unbridled want to take the pain away. The soldier wanted nothing more for him to do just that, but in order to allow him to do such, Archer had to open his mouth and explain. 

“A month ago, Sonya and I teamed up on a black ops mission, normally my gig but due to how sensitive it was I needed the help,” Archer’s hands wrapped around the cup of still steaming tea, looking up to see Raiden’s own cup away from him and eyes focused intensely on him. The man shifted uncomfortably under his gaze before continuing. 

“I can’t get too far into it due to classifications, but something went wrong. Very wrong. We were ambushed, Sonya got pinned, some of my men went dark,” He stopped to take a breath, voice beginning to shudder again. “My dumbass decided to try and go after them despite the warning signs. Into an abandoned building, falling apart, one gust of wind away from collapsing. It was a trap, those men were dead, and I knew that, but a part of me forced my head to be naive. I payed for it by losing the rest of the squad I brought and…”

A hand went to his face now, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose tight in a desperate attempt to stop more tears from falling. Raiden reached a hand across the table and gently pried Archer’s other hand from its grip around the cup, taking it in his. He gave it a supportive squeeze, the other man eventually moving the hand to his face on top of Raiden’s hold. 

“I got hurt. Bad. Shot in the shoulder that sent me stumbling back and impaling myself on an exposed piece of rebar. Out for month despite the fact it missed any vital organs.” he continued explaining, the light in Raiden’s face dimming significantly. 

“They told me you were still in said mission.” Raiden said with a frown. 

“They didn’t want you to worry.” 

“I believe I have a right to know when you’re hurt.” 

“I agree, but they didn’t let me say anything.” 

Raiden only sighed in response, Archer taking it as an urge to continue. 

“The wound itself never became infected and it healed well but it…” Archer paused again, then, eyes shut tight and breath hitching as if he were ready to break down again and didn’t wish to continue. Raiden squeezed the man’s hand tighter, a thumb rubbing comfortingly against his palm. 

Eventually, Archer opened his eyes again and his breathing calmed. But there was an undeniable look of dread on his face. 

“It left a scar. Hell of an ugly one too,” He said this with a laugh, albeit an uneasy one. It was attempt to soften the blow to himself or perhaps make light of the situation, but Raiden knew the truth behind it. And it broke his heart. 

“It’s alright though, I’m already covered in ‘em, what’s one more on an already ugly canvas.” 

“Archer,” Raiden’s voice was already very stern, eyes now locked with his lover’s. “You are  _ not _ ‘ugly’. You have merely been through hell and have the marks to prove it.” 

“You don’t get it, Raiden, I can’t take off my shirt around other people because they just… They just  _ stare _ . At me, at the scars, I can see the way their faces twist in disgust and pity. I don’t know which one’s worse, honestly.” 

“Then they are ignorant and childish. There is not a man nor woman who do what you do that do not have many of the same marks. They are proof of survival.” 

Archer shook his head. “Most men and women in the military aren’t as stupid and careless as I am, so no, they don’t.” 

“Archer--” 

“ _ They’re _ the ones that stare at me, Raiden, they’re the ones that look at me like I’m something to be pitied or something to  _ laugh  _ at, or to be disgusted by. For fuck’s sake, even  _ Johnny _ can barely look at me when we’re sparing if I don’t at least have a tank on.” 

The man then laughed, something pathetic and short, more like a bark out of the back of his throat. A fake and pained smile crossing his features. “Hell, I don’t know how you deal with it. Must be blind or somethin’.” 

“I am  _ not _ blind, Archer. I see everything, every inch of you, and I am not filled with a sense of pity or disgust.” 

“What do you feel, then?” 

“Love, admiration, adoration.” 

Archer snorted again, now prying his eyes away from Raiden’s. “You’re just saying that.” 

With that, Raiden suddenly stood, Archer watching as the god made his way to his side of the table with hand still in his. Once next to him, Raiden pulled Archer up out of the chair. 

“Come,” 

“Where are we going?” 

“As you will not take my word as truth, perhaps you will take my actions.” 

Raiden led Archer through the temple, the soldier taking in all the sights he knows all too well now but was still amazed by. The beautiful walls of polished wood, silk tapestries, and the calming sounds of windchimes in the windows swaying in the breeze. Candles burnt in several corners, incense smoking on the altars, and he could hear faint chanting and singing that echoed peacefully through the halls. 

Outside through the windows he could catch the breathtaking view of the mountains, along with the cherry blossoms and jade lion statues. A few monks were wandering outside, some were tending to the gardens while others were starting preparations for their evening prayers. 

Archer always felt an uncharacteristic calm while at the temple, all of his worries and anxiety would melt away as soon as he stepped foot inside. Even now, despite the fact that he was sobbing in his lover’s arms a bit ago and like his knees felt as if they were going to give out, he felt at ease. He squeezed Raiden’s hand, to which he had returned and the weary feeling in his knees waned some. 

Once he realized that he was being led to the bedroom, - one that was only utilized when Archer was there, seeing as Raiden himself had no need for rest - an intense heat crossed over his face and into his chest. 

“I dunno if you wanna see me right now, Raiden. That scar isn’t fully healed and is kinda gross.” he said once the door was closed behind them. Raiden hushed him and pulled him into another embrace, which Archer accepted happily. 

“There is no flaw you could have, be it physical or otherwise, that would cause me to be repulsed by you.”

Those words cut Archer to the bone and he was overwhelmed with a feeling he couldn’t quite explain. Confusion? Relief? It didn’t matter once he leaned into a gentle kiss that caused that feeling to melt away. He allowed all control to shift to Raiden, there was a passion in his touch that made Archer feel weightless. His legs didn’t even feel they belonged to him as they carried him over to the bed - that felt like sleeping on a cloud, gods knew how to spoil - with numb arms shrugging off his coat. 

Every breathless little ‘May I?’ before a piece of clothing was removed made his heart swell, every gentle caress, every loving little peck on his skin. It made him forget about the horrors, the crippling feelings of dread and sadness, and replaced them with feelings of warmth and love that rivaled anything negative. 

Archer reached up and pulled down that ridiculous hood, locks of flowing snow white hair cascaded down past the god’s shoulders. The soldier couldn’t help but smile and run tired fingers through the silken hair, Raiden returning that smile before kissing the man under him again. He craned his arms to reach under his lover to start undoing his robes, but strong hands grabbed his and pulled them away before lips moved to his jawline. He tilted his head in confusion, wondering what was going to be done when he was only in his boxers and Raiden was still in those damn robes. 

But lips were traveling further down, fingertips tracing over tattoos and scars, kisses being planted where fingers have touched. Each scar, tattoo, birthmark, and freckle were treated this way. Touching them gentle and slow as if he moved too fast, too rough, and it would all shatter at his fingers, complete with careful movements and whispers that Archer couldn’t hear. 

It reminded him of the monks during prayer. 

He then gasped at the feeling of static, arching his back into the sensation, feeling the god smirk against his skin. Smug bastard. 

His lips moved to the center of Archer’s chest, kissing the harsh scar given to him from his time spent in Outworld, Raiden spending more time there than with the others and sending another careful wave of static against the skin. Archer let out a sigh and put his head back into the bed, fingers still crawling through white hair as he allowed his lover to explore and love every inch of him. He only let out a small moan when thumbs rubbed against already sensitive nipples, feeling yet another careful shock. 

Now his mouth had moved to just under the other man’s left peck, kissing the scar left by a stab wound. 

“So many battles,” he whispered. “So much pain. Yet still so beautiful.” 

Archer closed his eyes, taking in another deep breath as Raiden explored further, moving almost agonizingly slow. Slow, but thorough, not a single blemish was missed and each got its own attention. Its own love. Raiden continued to mumble more praises and words of adoration, Archer beginning to feel a heaviness in his chest and a wetness in his eyes. The other man only raising his head to hover over a tattoo on Archer’s ribs. A broken skull with teeth missing, a ribbon flowing around it with the words  _ ‘LETUM PRIUS IGNOMINIA’  _ gracing the ribbon, Latin for ‘Death Before Dishonor’. There was a bittersweet tone to it, he knew that. Archer had once told the story of the tattoo, it being one of his first and he had gotten it after being betrayed by his own brother, who had tried to drag him down the same dark path only to turn on him for refusing. The skull itself hid another scar, caused by a bullet shot by his brother. 

Raiden gently touched the skin with nothing more than the tip of his nose, closing his eyes as he ran his hands up his lover’s sides. “So much suffering you have endoured, but your soul is still so pure, your heart still so full of love.” 

“Must have me confused with someone else,” Archer said lowly. 

“I do not, I know you, Archer, I’ve seen the good that you do. The people that you save. You are a warrior, my dearest, and these marks only prove that.” He finally placed a kiss against the skin of the tattoo, lingering for a moment before moving lower again. 

Now the god was on his knees, placing himself in between Archer’s legs, hands pulling the other man closer before continuing his worship. Now those lips made their way to the newest scar that had Archer in such distress, the man letting out another moan as that static sensation. 

“No matter these marks, you are still perfect to me. Still wonderful,” After each praise he peppered another kiss to the scar, still so red and angry, its rage unable to overwhelm Raiden’s love. “Still beautiful, still you.” 

Archer choked on a sob in his throat, hands now moving to wipe tears from his eyes. Despite his partner’s crying Raiden continued, knowing that he wasn’t hurting Archer, but that it was from the overwhelming praise coming from his lover. A sob was replaced with a significantly louder moan than the others once boxers were pulled away and a calloused hand wrapped around him. With every stroke there was a wave of static along with every kiss placed on his skin as Raiden worked his way back up quicker than he went down. 

“Every word spoken, every breath taken, every noise and movement made is perfect to me, touched with a passion and grace I’ve yet to see in anyone else.” Another hand reached up and wiped the tears falling from his lover’s eyes, the other stroking harder at his partner’s behest. “You are nothing short of amazing to me, Archer Kane. I have never been in such a trance than when I am with you, your voice alone could calm any and all rage within me.” 

Archer tried to speak but could only get a moan mixed with the quiet sob to escape him. His eyes closed and his head pushed harder into the bed. Fingers went back into silken hair, now gripping harsh enough to cause Raiden to wince slightly. But it still did not stop his worship, earning a gasp as his tongue swiped over a nipple before teeth carefully dug into the soldier’s collarbone. Archer knew he wouldn’t last much longer due to the sensation of the static, and told Raiden this through breathless words. His lover did not slow his movements, however, only speeding the rhythm of his strokes and cutting the frequency of the shocks. 

He kept his head back and let Raiden work, becoming harder to hold on as time dragged on almost excruciatingly. 

“Raiden, I can’t--” Archer couldn’t finish his words, fingers digging into sheets and head pressed hard against the bed. 

“So don’t. You have no need to.”

Archer almost made a final attempt to hold out, but after feeling a wave a static from the hand that was stroking him he cried out his lover’s name, sounding like music to the god’s ears. Raiden embraced the other man, peppering sweet kisses against his temple before pulling over one of the blankets folded neatly at the head of the bed and wrapping it around his partner. Archer’s head settled nicely into the crook of Raiden’s neck, enjoying the gentle hands caressing him and the steady heartbeat soothing him. 

“Are you alright?” Raiden asked, startled at the sound of quiet sobs. 

“I don’t deserve you, you know that?” A muffled voice said. “You’re too good to me.” 

“You  _ do _ deserve everything good to come your way, Archer. Even if that means me. You humble me, you pulled me out of a darkness that I allowed myself to slip into. There is not enough I could do to thank you for that, but I will do what I can.” His own voice was soft and loving, pulling his lover in closer and holding tighter. 

Raiden felt arms snake around his sides, face nestling closer against his chest. “I love you. You ass.” 

The god laughed and placed a kiss to the top of his lover’s head, allowing himself a moment’s rest once he was sure the other man had fallen first. 


End file.
